A warm welcome to Sophie Hart, author of The Naughty Girls Book Club, as she tells us about her novel and delves into the world of erotica.

Thanks to Caroline for inviting me onto her blog to talk about all things erotica! It’s a subject I’ve been immersed in for the past year or so now, looking at everything from erotic literature to films to the weird and wonderful paraphernalia for sale on the internet. And no, I haven’t developed some weird fetish – it’s all been in the name of research (honestly)!

Recently my novel, The Naughty Girls Book Club, was published. Whilst it’s not actually erotica (it’s best described as chick-lit with a saucy twist), it does deal with the subject of erotica. It revolves around Estelle, the owner of a struggling cafe, who tries to boost custom by starting a book club. When Tess of the D’Urbervilles fails to raise any interest, the group decide to read the latest erotic sensation that’s causing a stir up and down the country…

I have to be honest and say that my book is hugely influenced by Fifty Shades of Grey – or at least, the phenomenon that the trilogy seems to have inspired. Whatever you think of it, there’s no denying that Christian Grey and his Red Room of Pain have really captured people’s imaginations – especially women. The giggly conversations we’ve always had with our friends over a bottle of wine seem to have taken a filthier turn of late, discussing the merits of jiggle balls and a light spanking!

It’s even become acceptable to read erotica on public transport. While the advent of e-readers helped kick-start the craze, people seem just as comfortable reading the paperback version, those familiar black and grey covers popping up regularly on the morning commute.

The Naughty Girls Book Club looks at literature through the ages – everything from the Marquis de Sade, right through to modern bonkbusters such as Lace by Shirley Conran and Riders by Jilly Cooper. Sex, it seems, has always been a popular topic for writers! It’s hard to believe that Lady Chatterley’s Lover was banned on its release under the Obscene Publications Act – these days you can buy far more explicit novels in your local supermarket, along with your weekly shopping.

Even more surprising is the stir that Nancy Friday caused, with the publication of My Secret Garden in 1973. The novel was a compilation of sexual fantasies, submitted by real women. And what was so shocking about this, you might wonder? Well, until then (and this is only forty years ago, remember), it had never really been acknowledged that women even had sexual fantasies!

Things have changed massively since then, and the recent erotica craze seems to have reached a climax (sorry, couldn’t resist!) Sales of jiggle balls have apparently increased by 400% since the publication of E L James’ trilogy. Online retailer Lovehoney has its own Fifty Shades range. Even high street favourite Superdrug has started stocking sex toys. More than ever, women have the opportunity to explore their desires and find out what they want from their sex lives.

This is something that the characters in The Naughty Girls Book Club discover. Although they’re a very wide-ranging group, the books that they read (as well as the friendships they make at the book club) give them the confidence to go for what they want – both in and out of the bedroom – whether it’s bored newlywed Rebecca trying to spice up her marriage, or recently retired Sue proving to her husband that there’s life after sixty.

Erotica is having a moment, and I say let’s embrace it! It can be fun, exciting and there’s something out there for everyone. So go on – give in to your naughty side. Who knows where it might lead!?

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About Sophie: Sophie Hart lives in London with her boyfriend and her collection of naughty books. She likes to spend her time going on nice holidays, making half-hearted attempts to exercise, and lusting after Daniel Craig. She can be found on Twitter @Cafe_Crumb and on Facebook.

I devoured The Naughty Girls Book Club in a weekend, sitting in the sunshine. It tells the tale of Estelle, a single mum who sets up a book club in her cafe, in the hope that it’ll bring in additional custom and much-needed income. During the first meeting, she realises that the books readers are supposed to enjoy, books that carry that literary or academic weight, aren’t necessarily what the members of her book club want to read. In a moment of panic, she suggests they all read the current craze, a novel that is erotic fiction. And, due to the success of that read, the members decide that their book club will focus entirely on erotic literature.

What follows is an interlocking of erotica with the lives of the members of her book club. But, ultimately, The Naughty Girls Book Club is a story about love, friendship, personal growth and people bonding through books. There isn’t any explicit sex within this novel. Books uniting people, books sparking love and passion, books creating firm friendships - this is feel-good fiction. The characterisation is superb, the characters are refreshing. There is no darkness in this novel, it offers a light read, it will leave you smiling.